Lot 220

19th C. Persian Steel Zulfiqar Dagger & Sheath - Silver Inlay

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Lot 220
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19th C. Persian Steel Zulfiqar Dagger & Sheath - Silver Inlay
19th C. Persian Steel Zulfiqar Dagger & Sheath - Silver Inlay
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19th C. Persian Steel Zulfiqar Dagger & Sheath - Silver Inlay

Estimate: $600 - $900

Starting Bid: $300

(0 Bids)
by Artemis Fine Arts
August 7, 2026 9:00 AM MDT
Live Auction
686 S. Taylor Avenue
Suite 108
Louisville, CO, US 80027

Western Asia, Persia, Qajar, ca. 1800–1899 CE. A curved steel dagger whose blade divides along its axis into twin points, the cleft tip that identifies it as a Zulfiqar, forged after the legendary bifurcated sword of Islamic tradition. The layered steel carries silver inlay along with finely incised figural motifs that thread across blade, hilt, and matching sheath, though the figures on grip and scabbard have softened with age. Traces of brass inlay linger in the recesses, hinting at a once richer polychrome surface. The graceful downward sweep of the whole, hilt cap, waisted grip, and deeply recurved sheath, marks it as a ceremonial rather than combative piece. Such split-point weapons were made in small numbers as devotional emblems, their form invoking the sword's charged symbolism rather than any practical edge. Size with sheath: 19.1" L x 2.4" W (48.5 cm L x 6.1 cm W).

The Zulfiqar (Dhu'l-fiqar, "possessor of spines") is among the most storied weapons of Islamic tradition. Legend holds that the sword was taken by Muhammad's forces at the Battle of Badr in 623/4 CE, and that the Prophet later gave it to his cousin and son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib. Its defining feature, a notched or forked tip, may echo the fractured points common to early wootz blades of Arabia, though it became a deliberate and revered motif. Over the centuries the cleft-bladed sword grew into a potent emblem of divine sanction and martial virtue, especially venerated within Shia devotion, and swordsmiths across the Islamic world rendered their own interpretations of its distinctive silhouette.

Provenance: private Englewood, Colorado, USA collection; ex-private collection acquired in 1950s

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Item # 203810

  • Condition: Blade is detached from hilt. Dulling to sword edge and sword tip is slightly bent. Chipping to tang and a few small perforations to tip of sheath. Age-expected weathering. Rich patina throughout and good remains of silvering. Trace remains of brass leaf in areas.

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $299 $25
$300 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $20,000